Inerrancy only applies to the originals. Really it is more a statment about who God is than what the Scriptures are. Can God lie? Can God accurately speak the truth to us?

The issue of defending textual transmission is not that difficult. If someone questions that, then simply point out that the Bible we have in our hands today is the most researched book in the history of mankind. We have more certainty as to the original reading of Scripture than we have of any other ancient text. Most people don't realize that. The critical text of Plato is derived from 8 manuscripts if I remember correctly. The NT is based upon 1000's of texts with only minor mostly explainable variations. Even the differences between the TR and the critical text are so minor that it shouldn't be an issue, and nothing doctrinally is at stake at all. The next time someone questions the integrity of the Bible, simply point out these facts, and you will silence the ignorance of others who are usually basing their arguments off of nonsense like the Davinci Code or left over liberal arguments that were refuted 100 years ago.

__________________
Patrick
OPC
MDiv, RTS Jackson.

"He does well, that discourses of Christ; but he does infinitely better, that by experimental knowledge, feeds and lives on Christ." Thomas Brooks.